Week in Review: August 24 through 31

It's with misty eyes and an emotional heart that I write this last blog from Grand Portage. We leave tomorrow (Saturday, September 1) for Cloquet and a month-long stay with my mom. These past 2 months have been some of the most enjoyable and relaxing that Dick and I have spent in over 31 years being together. We've had no phone service (unless we went to Grand Marais), no television, and until recently no internet access (unless we went to Grand Marais). Just day after day of enjoying God's creation, reading, talking, and meeting new people. We are seriously thinking..planning...:)...on coming back for 3 months next year.

The leaves are starting to change, in preparation for the full onslaught of color which should be here by month-end. Skies are clear and deep blue, no clouds, and days of 70-80 degree temps dipping into the mid 50s at night. Good sleeping.

Saturday, August 25 the Lodge hosted an "oldies but goodies" car show. We spent a couple of hours looking and drooling, and then ate hamburgers and ribs at the show. Such fun!

Dick and me in a few years...ha!

Dick's favorite

Other than the usual walking and enjoying nature, we had a wonderful prime rib dinner on Tuesday night at the Grand Portage Lodge: $10 for a HUGE piece of rib, potato and vegies. The piece I had was so big we had enough for prime rib sandwiches on Wednesday. YUM! Our dinner was shared with new friends Mike and Bea, who are also full-time RVers. They'll be here for another week. (The Lodge has different $10 dinner specials every day. Oh, and they have a wonderful 4 Deuces breakfast for $1.99 every day too, with 2 eggs, 2 link sausage, 2 bacon and 2 pieces of toast. Double YUM-YUM!)

I've included photos of some of the beautiful sunrises over Grand Portage Bay, with Hat Point in the background, and of the clouds visible sometimes in the mornings. The first one was taken around 9 a.m. during a break in a rain storm that went through.

These rock formations are seen on the way to the Grand Portage Heritage Center. They're about 30 feet high and are so cool.

These 2 are hillsides of shale.


 

Today (Friday) Dick braved a hike to the top of Mt. Josephine (I declined). The climb is rated as a difficult 1.5 miles, climbing 800 feet with switchbacks. He was sooooo glad when it was over! It offers spectacular views of Grand Portage Bay to the southwest, and Wauswaugoning Bay, the Susie Islands, and Isle Royale National Park to the east (on a clear day). The story is that Mt. Josephine was named in honor of Josephine Godfrey (from Detroit) who led a party of friends on a daylong hike from Grand Portage to the mountain's summit in 1853. (Her father, John Godfrey, owned a trading post in Grand Marais until 1858.) Still looking for more interesting details on the mountain... These are views from the summit.

Isle Royal can be seen on the horizon.

Susie Islands

Thanks for staying with us during these 2 months in Grand Portage, and we hope you'll continue to check our blog in September.

Blessings!